In a surprising political reversal, former President Donald Trump has publicly instructed congressional Republicans to support the release of files connected to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The dramatic shift came through a post on Trump's Truth Social platform on Sunday, where he declared "we have nothing to hide" while characterising the pressure for disclosure as a "Democrat Hoax."
Political Pressure Mounts Over Epstein Documents
The former president's unexpected change in position follows increasing suspicion within his Make America Great Again base that authorities might be concealing details about Epstein's crimes to protect wealthy elites associated with the financier.
House Speaker Mike Johnson had previously indicated that supporting the document release could help dispel allegations connecting Trump to the scandal. Despite Republicans publishing over 20,000 pages of documents last week, pressure continues to mount for further disclosures from Epstein's estate and FBI investigation files.
The US House of Representatives is expected to vote on legislation concerning additional Epstein file releases this week, potentially as early as Tuesday.
Broader Political Landscape
Meanwhile, the UN Security Council voted 13-0 to endorse Trump's Gaza plan, with China and Russia abstaining. US envoy Mike Waltz described the resolution as charting "a new course in the Middle East" though the language remained deliberately vague, leaving many details uncertain.
In other significant developments, the Trump administration announced plans to designate Venezuela's Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization, alleging leadership under Nicolás Maduro.
Domestically, federal immigration raids in Charlotte, North Carolina resulted in 81 arrests, causing normally vibrant immigrant communities and business districts to come to a standstill under Operation Charlotte's Web.
Judicial and Educational Impacts
A federal judge found evidence of "government misconduct" in the case against former FBI director James Comey, ordering grand jury materials be turned over to Comey's defense team. The court expressed concern that the justice department's approach appeared to be "indict first and investigate later."
Higher education faced challenges as new international student enrollments in US colleges plunged this year, reflecting the impact of the administration's immigration crackdown on educational institutions.
The Supreme Court agreed to review the administration's policy of limiting asylum claims at US-Mexico border ports of entry, examining the legality of the "metering" approach that allows officials to decline processing asylum seekers' claims.
Former military officials simultaneously warned that Trump has "blurred" the line between military and politics, citing increased domestic deployments and removal of senior officers as creating perceptions of partisan armed forces.
